My Sweetest Victory Is Yours
by Eve Is My Pen Name
Summary: When Rei volunteered to help Nagisa study, he miscalculated just how difficult a task that would be.


**a/n: **Inspired by that adorable official art of Rei and Nagisa reading classic books together with candy on the pillows around them.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Free!_

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My Sweetest Victory Is Yours

When Rei agreed to tutor Nagisa, he miscalculated many factors.

The first and greatest problem being Nagisa's attention span. Rei studied four hours straight without even stopping to stretch, but convincing Nagisa to sit in one place for more than ten minutes took threats, encouragements, and occasionally bribes. Usually bribes. Always bribes. Rei ran out of knickknacks on the first day. Nagisa even took one of his photos from middle school.

However, the trouble did not end with finally shackling the rambunctious boy to a table. Rei then struggled to get him to open a book, and he practically sold his soul to the devil to have Nagisa actually attempt a math problem.

It wasn't that Nagisa tried to be difficult. He did not lie when he told his teammates that he would give his all to his studies. He simply suffered from the complete inability to focus on one subject for longer than twenty-eight seconds. (Rei counted exactly. The moment Nagisa's pupils darted to the side, he knew the boy was lost to him.)

So Rei adapted.

Well, after he dissolved into a mental breakdown and nearly kicked Nagisa out on the streets. _Then_ he adapted.

Once their first session ended, Rei immersed himself into deep research. He browsed teaching websites, homeschooling forums, and articles about the functions of the brain before he came up with two possible courses of action. If his calculations proved correct, either one should succeed beautifully.

He employed his first plan on their second study session.

"Rei-chan!" Nagisa cried when he entered Rei's room. "You're supposed to be helping _me_ study. Move your stuff." The corners of his lips dipped into a childlike pout that Rei refused to think of as cute.

"These are _your_ supplies. We're doing something different today," Rei proclaimed.

Nagisa's pout turned into a look of horror as Rei gestured proudly to their study table. Five open textbooks covered the surface, and different sheets of paper filled in the spaces between them. The center bore a cup of pencils.

"Since you can't focus for very long, you're going to constantly switch from one subject to another. First a math problem, then onto the next textbook to do a science problem. Then the next textbook to read a short story for literature. Your brain stays stimulated by the continuous change of scenery and task, and you still learn and work on your homework."

Rei grasped the edges of his glasses dramatically as he finished his explanation, but Nagisa did not look nearly as impressed as he thought his plan deserved. Rather, the blond boy whined, "Rei-chan…"

Nagisa got through exactly one grammar question and half a science problem before he started rummaging through Rei's bedside table. He found an old iPod and made fun of Rei's boring taste in classical music. Then he amused himself with a rubber band ball and a package of paperclips.

While Rei hung his head in the corner and wondered where exactly he went wrong, Nagisa made a fortress out of chewing gum and bent-out-of-shape paperclips. Apparently, the second year had an attention span in regard to some things.

Rei did not give up though. He made Nagisa go home, destroyed the paperclip castle, and ripped up all his notes about constant stimulation and the brain.

And then he adapted.

He still had one more plan after all.

He went to the store and spent three weeks' worth of allowance. He carried the paper bag of supplies into his room, and he fell asleep feeling marginally better. At least he had a battle strategy for tomorrow's session. Even if the task killed him, he would tutor Nagisa Hazuki.

The next day, only a single textbook and notepad waited at the study table.

"I will give it my all today, Rei-chan!" Nagisa promised, twirling on one foot.

Rei shut the door to his bedroom, and somehow, the action felt final. This was his last resort. His do or die moment. His last strategy.

The reward system.

Rei kneeled on his knees, and Nagisa did the same from across the table. The blond boy seemed more determined today than usual, and Rei suspected Makoto had something to do with that. Nevertheless, the moment came.

Nagisa's head fell down on his paper, and his arms stretched across the table. "I wanna quit," Nagisa whined pitifully. When he looked up, his big pink eyes glistened with emotion that begged Rei to sympathize.

However, Rei stayed strong. "There are only three questions left," he said.

"But Rei-chan," Nagisa groaned. "I've worked really hard today."

Time to pull his trump card. "I'll give you a piece of candy if you finish your chemistry homework," Rei bribed.

Nagisa sat up and peered at Rei suspiciously. The blond already owned most of Rei's possessions from previous study sessions, but now he offered an entirely different prize.

"They're butterscotch," Rei continued. He reached under the table and pulled out a bowl of golden individually-wrapped candies.

Nagisa finished the last three problems and munched triumphantly on the sweet treat.

And so the true tutoring began.

…

Rei started to feel like he was training a dog, and their conversations began to resemble one another after a while.

"Two."

"Rei-chan, why are you so mean to me? That one's worth at least five candies!"

"False. It's at a first year level, and it only requires one equation with three variables to calculate. Two pieces at the most."

"Come on, it has four parts! That means at least four pieces."

"Two of the parts are identifying the variables. Two pieces."

A pout. The increasingly canine puppy dog eyes. "Three."

"…fine. Three. But only if you complete all parts in the next five minutes!"

…

The two of them even started to hurry home after school to start studying. Nagisa improved greatly, and Rei discovered something he had previously not considered.

Nagisa was actually very smart.

He liked to joke and tease, and his attention span apparently took a steady supply of sugar to function properly, but once he focused on a problem, he pushed through it with almost ease. He and Nagisa even debated over questions sometimes: the actual meaning of a literary work or the factors that most directly determined whether a solution was acidic or basic.

Of course, most of the debates ended in Nagisa stealing Rei's glasses or sneaking extra pieces of candy while Rei passionately explained his perspective on the issue.

They studied like this for weeks.

During lunch breaks. After swim practice. Before classes.

Rei started carrying around bags of candy with him. Makoto even approved the use of a small portion of the team's budget going toward Nagisa's little reward system.

But just like Rei's late night swimming lessons with Rin, it all paid off.

…

Exam week passed in a blur of caffeine and A-B-C-D bubbles.

…

Rei arrived at the locker room and changed into his swimsuit. Haru dove into the water as soon as the final bell rang, and Makoto discussed some paperwork issues with Kou. Nagisa had not yet arrived, but since practice didn't technically start for another fifteen minutes and the blond was hardly punctual anyway, no one worried.

Then two arms wrapped around Rei's neck from behind, and a warm body draped over his back.

"I did it, Rei-chan!" Nagisa cried in his ear. "I passed all my tests! I even aced some of them. I did it, I did it, I did it! And I owe it all to you!"

Rei flailed beneath Nagisa's unexpected weight, but when his joyful screeches actually registered in his brain, his excitement grew to rivaling levels.

"Congratulations! I knew you could do it!"

Nagisa hopped off Rei's back in order to face him, and the blond looked even more flushed and excited that usual. His hair flounced all over the place, and he literally could not stand still as he fidgeted and twirled on his feet.

Rei rivaled him as the size of his smile seemed to hurt his cheeks. Nagisa's pride and ecstasy infected him until he practically felt the emotions himself.

"You did a great job, Nagisa-kun," Rei granted.

Nagisa smirked. "I had a great teacher. Thank you so much, Rei-chan."

Quicker than a second, Nagisa rose to his tiptoes and planted a chaste kiss on Rei's lips. Before Rei could register the event, Nagisa already made for the door to inform Haru and Makoto of his fantastic exam scores. "I owe you one," he called back before fleeing the locker room.

Rei lost the ability to respond.

The taste of butterscotch lingered on his lips.


End file.
